Robotic Ecologies

Roland Piquepaille writes "The University of Virginia (UVA) School of Architecture has started a new program about 'robotic ecologies' which wants to answer the question: Will robots take over architecture? As said the program leader, 'This research is not just about architectural machines that move. It is about groups of architectural machines that move with intelligence.' Apparently, buildings tracking our movements and adapting their shape or texture according human presence are not far fetched. Maybe one day, we'll talk to our homes and they'll answer."

Comments

Flaws

[biocute]

What if you could talk to a building and it could talk back?
Then what about the wife we already have?

What if a building could adapt its shape, texture, light, sounds, and heat to your presence?
Only if it can also read our moods. How would it know if I am in the mood to read a book (good light source) or to watch TV (dimmer)?

And most importantly the question every slashdotter wants to know -- What if we want to have sex on the kitchen bench, instead of cooking? Would the building turn down the lights and maybe warm the bench a little?

I'm not expecting a machine to figure things out themselves, but its ability to learn on circumstances is important to serve us appropriately.

I guess it's human's unpredictability that makes robots imperfect.

Re:Flaws

[IgLou]

You're fine so long as you're not having sex on the counter. In which case the most likely thing would be a floating point error that causes speakers to blare out "Warning! Warning! Unauthorized biological organisms on the cooking surface! Sterilize! Sterilize!" That's when you regret your gas stove that it quickly adapts into a flame thrower.

This post has just saved a life... I know it.

Will bots replace Roland?

[Harmonious Botch]

1)Make a bot that scans tech-related sites.
2)Upon seeing new content, bot posts it to slashdot.
3)Bribe the editors regularly.
4)Put ads on your site.
5)Link everything to your site.
6)Profit!!

homes as a species

[anarchy_man3]

I was discussing with one of my friends about how we don't use houses, houses use us to build them and spread across the world. Houses as a species have evolved to adapt to all parts of the earth and even into space. Dude, like whooaaah...

YOU live in it!

[Lazerf4rt]

What if a building were equipped with sensors to track your movement through a space and could adapt its shape, texture, light, sounds, and heat to your presence?

So, we're talking about a thousand-ton slab of moving floors and sliding walls, changing its heat and lighting... with you inside it? Constantly transforming and shapeshifting, all running off some intern's Java program?

All I can picture is that garbage-compactor scene from Star Wars.

Re:My big fat house

[drgonzo59]

I think that bigger houses = more isolation among its inhabitants. Back in the day when people would built a bigger house it was quite often to accommodate extended family (parents, in-laws, brothers, cousins, aunts etc...). Today I see 2 or 3 member families that have houses with 4+ bedrooms. They can go all day without seeing each other and would probably have to IM each other when the dinner is ready.

I grew up in a small two room apartment (that's just two rooms, they are both bedrooms and living rooms and study rooms and offices) in the Soviet Union and sometimes I had my cousins stay over as well. Looking back I would consider my childhood one of the happiest times in my life. We'd all gather in our small kitchen, family members (aunts, uncles and even neighbors!) would drop by unexpectedly for dinner and it was great -- I never though "gosh I need another 4 rooms to live comfortably".

There is a level of intimacy and closeness that is lost as families move into huge mansions and never see each other for days.